The Light in The Darkness
by dazae15
Summary: AU end of Season 3. Faith writes Buffy a secret letter before their battle on the rooftop it gets lost before Buffy can read it. Now Buffy is in College & Faith has amnesia. Will Buffy be able to help her or will the darkness consume Faith again?
1. The Secret Letter

**AN: AU Buffy/Faith fan fiction. I'm unsure of where this story is going, but I've been having this idea in my head for a while. More to come if people would like to read more :) **

**PS: I don't own characters only writing a fan fiction. **

_Sitting on the bed, in the apartment the Mayor had set up for her, Faith licked the seal to an envelope that had only one name scribed on the front of it in black ink. Faith wasn't a letter writer, but this was a special case. It was coming to an end, she could feel it. Buffy would be there soon and she knew this is how it had to be. It was the only way to clear things up, to set things right. She knew the letter wouldn't reach it's destination till after everything went down and she was dead, but that was how she had planned it. Faith wouldn't even be sending the letter but she needed them to understand the actions and decisions she had made over the past few months. Buffy especially. _

_Hearing a knock at the door, she got up carrying the envelope with her, knowing who it was. Opening it, she was greeted by one of the Mayor's vampire assistants. "Uh...you wanted me to deliver something?" The vampire asked nervous. He was petrified of Faith for more reasons then just being a Slayer. He had seen her torture people for the mayor. Even cut through someone's bone with out even flinching. He might be part demon, but her actions made him believe she had less of a soul then he did. _

_"Yeah, I want you to deliver this envelope to 1630 Revello Drive and place it in the mailbox," She offered him the envelope and when his hand touched it she pulled him toward her, wanting him to look her square in the eye. "You open it or anyone else finds out about this delivery and you're going to wish you were dust," the vampire took in an imaginary breath suddenly becoming very scared. "Understand?" He nodded and Faith let the letter go. "Good. Now go" Watching the vampire run out of sight she closed the door and took a deep breath and let it out. It was time to get ready._

_2 Hours Later..._

_"Man, I'm gonna miss this," Faith said holding back the urge to finish the fight, knowing Buffy would end it soon. Within moments of them doing a battle of strength, each of them holding their own ground, Faith let up letting Buffy turn the tables and letting her stab Faith right in the gut. Buffy pulled the knife out and they both looked at the wound. Faith gave her a small grin. "You did it, you killed me" Buffy was still in a state of shock and only watched as the younger slayer's knees buckled in making her lose her footing causing her to go over the edge._

_When she saw her fall, Buffy quickly reached out to grab her hand but it was too late. Faith had already gone over, landing on a moving truck. The force of her head hitting the truck caused her to fall unconscious, the last thought going threw Faith's head was "I'm sorry". Buffy watched as the truck and Faith's body drove away entering into a zombie like state. Faith was dead, she had killed her. She walked to Angel's, with the only option she had left._


	2. Amnesia

**AN: Okay, just a quick warning, it's a little jumpy in the beginning but it gets better as you read. Things start to make more sense as well.**

Summer Residence

"So you've got all your stuff?" Joyce asked as she watched Buffy pack the last box into the car.

Buffy looked at all the boxes looking for anything she might have missed. "Yeah, I believe so" She said letting out a sigh of relieve. Everything was packed and ready to go to UC Sunnydale. Her home for the next 2 years or 4 depending on how everything went.

"Okay" Joyce looked at Buffy with a smile, so proud of her daughter. "I'm gonna miss you"

Buffy turned to face her mother giving her a big hug. "I'm gonna miss you too Mom,"

Joyce pulled away from her to look at her as she wiped away her tears. "If you need anything don't hesitate to call or even stop by,"

"I won't Mom," Buffy gave her one last hug before getting in the car with Willow to head off to the campus to unpack and go to Orientation.

* * *

><p>3 weeks later…<p>

Faith was sitting in the corner as she always was. Mute with no movement, wrapped in a straight jacket. She had woken up a month after the Mayor's Accession with no relocation of who she was. Only the knowledge of her name given by her medical file and the scars that were on her body. Some were almost unnoticeable by the human eye such as cigarette burns on her arms, along with some other shallow cuts in various places. Those were old scars, more then a year old. The most noticeable and newest scar was from the knife wound on her abdomen. That one was still healing, but it was clear it would leave a scar in the end. She also had a tattoo she couldn't explain. but every time she looked at it, or even touched it she got a feeling of fear,pain, and some sort of anger she couldn't explain.

She heard the door open, and one of the many nurses walked in with a plate full of food. "Hi Faith, how are you feeling today?" She knew right away that this nurse's name was Sally Renyolds. She was one of the only nurses that treated Faith like an actual human being and not just a patient. Talking to her and actually asking her what she wanted to do. It was nice and Faith appreciated it but she didn't like showing her emotions. Faith didn't answer her. "Doctor McNally is scheduling some testing for you," Still Faith didn't answer. She had been put through so much testing it didn't phase her anymore.

Doctors had done everything they could think of to regain Faith's memory, but still nothing. They were convinced the only way her memories would come back was if she was around others that she knew, but no one knew of anyone to call. The Mayor was dead, the media spinning it that Wilkins and all the others that died that day, died as heroes getting the others out, after an anonymous student planted a bomb in the high school. Anything that made more sense then a giant snake demon feasting on people. "He's going to check your aptitude, so we can figure out how much schooling you've had, so you can possibly get out of here," Faith continued to just sit there, only moving slightly to adjust the jacket a little. Sally sighed as she placed the plate on the side table peeling the plastic covering from it. She looked over at the teenager with a look of concern. "Why'd they put you back in the jacket?" Sally asked sitting next to Faith.

Faith didn't know what had set her off, she had just snapped. "I just kept beating her," The image of the blonde girl that had got in her face during Rec time was still in her brain and she remembered just pounding her till the orderlies restrained her. She didn't even remember what the blonde had said, she just knew it had set her off. The blonde was now in the medical wing in critical condition and Faith was placed in the straight jacket to protect herself and others according to the doctors.

"Why?" Sally asked trying to understand the girl more. She had been assigned to Faith a while ago and she still was working on understanding the girl. "Did she say something or do something?" People didn't just beat people for no reason. Everyone had a reason, even if that reason was only apparent to the person doing the beating.

"I don't remember," Faith actually turned to look at Sally now. Sally could see fear and confusion on her face even though she tired to hide it. It was the first time Faith had shown any sign of emotion.

Sally cautiously placed a hand on Faith's shoulder before removing it quickly remembering she didn't like to be touched. "It's okay Faith. I'll talk to the doctors, see if I can get you out of jacket, maybe out of this facility as soon as possible," After a few moments, Sally finally stood and left the room.

A few hours later Sally finally caught up with Dr. McNally on his way to the cafeteria. "Morning Doctor," She said trying to be polite as they entered the dinning area.

"Morning Sally," He grabbed a tray, starting to add some form of breakfast to it. "Can I help you with something?"

She didn't want to come off as forward, but she didn't want to disrupt him during breakfast. "I wanted to discuss with you case number, 1738,"

The doctor thought for a moment as he reached for a blueberry muffin. "You mean, Faith?"

"Yes, Faith. As you know Mayor Wilkins assigned me to her personally to insure that everything medically possible would be done, and with his passing and with her not getting any better I'd like to discuss with you her rehabilitation into the world considering I'm her guardian now,"

"I'm not to sure that is such a wise decision at this time," Dr. McNally looked at Sally's face. "Did you not hear about yesterday's incident? She almost killed someone yesterday and it took more then 3 orderlies to restrain her,"

Sally nodded her head at Mr. McNally. "I did, but that only proves that her being in this environment isn't good for her," She sat down across from the doctor as he ate his breakfast trying to convince him to release Faith into her care for several hours till he finally agreed if her aptitude test went well.

* * *

><p>UC Sunnydale<p>

A few days later…

"Have you found out who your new roommate yet?" Willow asked sitting across from Buffy at the coffee shop. After finding out Kathy was a demon last week she had put in a request to have Willow be her new roommate, but someone else had already taken the spot. A new girl that hadn't arrived yet, that was under special circumstances that they wouldn't disclose to her.

Buffy took a sip of her coffee before answering her. "Not yet. She's suppose to arrive tomorrow, but who knows. Maybe she won't show, or maybe she'll change her mind. If you'd like you can stay in my room till she arrives tomorrow. We can meet her together," They both were curious about who this new arrival was. They had both gone to the admission's office to see if they could get the new girl transferred to Willow's room and Willow transferred to Buffy's, but they were only allowed to do that if the new girl agreed so they'd have to wait.

Willow smiled at her friend. "Thanks, I need somewhere quiet to study tonight for Professor Walsh's psych test," She took a sip of her coffee as well licking the foam from her top lip.

"There's a test tomorrow?" Buffy groaned not remembering the professor mentioning a test. "I totally spaced," Of course Willow had remembered. Her mocha coffee had suddenly lost it's appeal. She hadn't tests. She never did well, or at least she felt like she never did. School always came second in her life due to the slaying, and studying was never easy when battling the forces of darkness.

"I can help you study tonight, after your patrol if you want," Willow offered. "I can meet you in your dorm ,"

Smiling, Buffy picked up her coffee cup feeling hopeful. "Yeah, I'll do a quick sweep around the campus, and then meet you in the dorm around 9,"

* * *

><p>The next morning...<p>

Faith and Sally pulled up to a building with a sign in front of it reading University of California Sunnydale. Getting out of the car, she looked around at everyone and felt like an outsider, like she didn't belong. It was strange though, cause she also got this weird tingling feeling. The feeling was very weak, but it was there and she couldn't explain it but it felt familiar somehow. She started to follow Sally as she started to walk toward the campus. "I don't understand, why Sunnydale?," Faith had no idea how the nurse had even gotten her out of the facility, yet lone, get her enrolled in the local college. Granted she had passed the entrance exam and they allowed her in due to Sally's recommendation and her being somehow connected to the Mayor, but it was still weird to her. The school was also, apparently going to be understanding about her medical problem of not being able to remember anything personal, as long as Sally was willing to be called if there were any problems.

Sally was flipping through the paperwork in her hands, trying to read all of it as they got closer to the door. "Because, you were found in Sunnydale, Mayor Wilkins was the Mayor of Sunnydale, so it stands to reason Sunnydale is a key to helping you get your memory back," Hearing it like that, it made sense to Faith, but that still didn't mean she was happy about going to school.

"It's just..what am I going to tell people? I don't remember anything," Faith explained as Sally opened the door and they stepped inside. None of this seemed like a good idea. Specially considering when she was in the facility she was away from people, able to block them out. Being here, in the school, she could hear distant conversations, she could see things from far way. In the facility she just cracked it up to her being locked up for so long that she was imagining things, but the more she was in the real world the more she had to admit that she was different.

"You don't have to tell them anything," She told the young woman. "That's the beauty of college, no one knows anyone," Sally entered the admission's office with Faith and headed up to the counter waving to the chair in the room for Faith to take a seat. Taking it, she sat there taking a deep breath in and out. She felt out of her element, if that was possible for a girl that didn't know anything about herself. She watched as Sally was taken into another room to speak with someone. Curious, Faith closed her eyes focusing on Sally and whoever she was talking to, trying to eavesdrop on them, but Faith wasn't able to focus on just them so she gave up.

She looked around the office becoming bored so she decided to check out the hall. Walking out, she bumped into a man who quickly caught Faith's eyes as attractive. He was tall, dark and handsome, something Faith apparently found appealing in the opposite sex. "Oh I'm sorry," He said as they both go to study each other. "My fault," The guy gives her a flirty smile as their eyes meet.

"No, blame's on me too," She smiles back at him. If this guy and others like him went to this school it couldn't be all that bad. He fixes his backpack that is on his shoulder.

"I'm Parker," He says offering his hand to her.

"Faith," She shakes his hand before they both place them back at their sides.

Before Faith had a chance to say anything else, Sally was coming out of the office. "Come on Faith, we have to go find Stevenson Hall"

"Kay," Faith just smiled at the boy as Sally and her left. She felt like she was a little girl experiencing her first crush. It was odd considering she must of had boyfriends before, but she couldn't remember any of them. She couldn't even remember what a kiss felt like. As they walked to Stevenson Faith became more aware of the fact she didn't know anything personal about her life. For all she knew Faith wasn't even her real name. Looking at Sally, she seemed to have more paperwork then before and was speed-read and walking at the same time. "Do you honestly think that coming here will regain my memory?"

"Yes, I do" She didn't even look up from the papers as they walked. Faith took that as a "Don't disturb me" tone, so she just looked around at all the other college students getting s sense of how they acted. How they moved. As they got closer to Stevenson the tingling feeling only got stronger. It was strange, but oddly enough it didn't feel wrong. They arrived at the stairs and Sally stopped, causing Faith to automatically stop. "Alright, this is were your dorm is, number 214," She began to hand papers to Faith. "Here is your class schedule and all the belongs we found at the Mayor Wilkins' apartment that looked like they could be yours will be here by the end of the night. Any questions?"

"Wait? You're not coming with me?" Faith asked feeling a small hint of panic behind the mask she was trying to hold up.

"No, I'll be back tonight to check on you, I have to go finish a couple things," Sally told Faith, but for some reason Faith got a different feeling from her then she usually had. She suddenly felt very cautious of Sally's actions, more defensive, like Sally was going to backstab her or something. It didn't make any sense to Faith, but she felt like she should trust her gut and be cautious around the woman.

"..Kay…I'll see ya latter then," Faith said as she walked up the Stevenson Hall stairs into the building.


	3. Faith? My Roommate?

AN: Hey Guys! Sorry for taking so long to update. Life has been crazy. Thank you to all that are still reading this :)

* * *

><p>Dr. Travis Swan raced down the hall to catch up with Dr. McNally carrying a folding in his hand. "Dr. McNally! Dr. McNally wait up!" Swan was one of the younger interns at the facility. His job today was to go through patients' files and organize them.<p>

McNally turned to see Swan flying down the hallway at him. "Morning Travis. Everything okay?" He looked at his colleague with concern at his earnest approach.

"No Doctor, we have a serious problem," Travis handed the file out to him to look at. "You released 1738,"

Opening up the file, he looked at it, reading the contents about Faith. "No, I never authorized her release,"

Swan flipped the page to show the doctor were his signature was on the bottom of the paperwork. "Your signature is right there," He stated, watching the doctor's face turn into one of confusion. "You released her to the care of a Sally Renyolds. Any idea who that is?"

Dr. McNally closed the file handing it back to Swan. "Sally Renyolds was brought in by the old mayor when Faith was still unconscious. She followed the girl over here to keep an eye on her till she was better,"

"Any idea why she'd take Faith when it was clear there had been no change?"

Letting out a breath, Dr. McNally gave Travis the best answer he could for the moment. "I have no idea why she'd take her, but it's not your job to track down missing patients is it?"

"No sir," He swallowed getting prepared for the doctor to yell at him, but he didn't.

"Then you should get back to your job before the bosses notice," He gave Swan a smile. "I'll look into Faith's early release and let you know what I find, alright?" Travis nodded. Beginning to walk away Travis stopped when he heard McNally's voice. "Oh and Travis," He turned to look at the doctor. "Keep this between us, okay? No need to raise an alert when it's probably nothing,"

"Yes sir," Travis replied carrying on his way.

* * *

><p>UC Sunnydale<p>

Faith entered the building and felt that strange feeling continue to get stronger. It wasn't painful. It just felt like a sixth sense letting her know something was close but she didn't know what. Looking at the dorm numbers, she continued down the hall, dodging people as she looked for her new room. This was so bizarre to her. Everyone around her was talking, laughing, joking. It was definitely a different atmosphere then the hospital. Arriving at the door with the correct number upon it, she looked down at her paper one more time. The sixth sense feeling was super strong now, which she thought was beyond weird, but she ignored it. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door, waiting for someone to answer.

Buffy had been getting a feeling she hadn't felt in a while keep hitting her all morning. She couldn't place it which was what was bugging her most about it. Willow had told her to just ignore it, but she couldn't, all morning it kept getting stronger. "You're just nervous about the new roommate, which you need to relax about," Willow stated as she watched Buffy getting all her things together. "I'm sure she'll be fine," Buffy ended up giving the red head a look.

"With the way my luck is, it's gonna be another demon," She continued running around, grabbing her homework and placing it into her messenger bag, and trying to locate her textbook for class when she heard the knock on the door. Both Willow and Buffy froze in mid motion for a second looking at the door and then each other. "Do you want to let her in?" Buffy asked turning over a cushion still searching for her book.

"She's your roommate," Willow argued sarcastically getting off the bed heading to the door anyway. She didn't mind, she just hoped for a please every once and a while. Opening the door, Willow's face quickly went from a welcoming smile to one of horror as she saw who was on the other side. As quickly as the door opened the door closed with Willow braced against it looking at Buffy with a gapping face. "..Bu..Buffy"

Buffy looked up in alarm at Willow's panicked tone. "What's wrong?" Her friend looked like she had seen a ghost.

"Fa..Faith"

There was another knock on the door and Buffy quickly went into action. "Move and stay out of the way," Buffy took on the Slayer authority voice as she spoke wanting to make sure Willow was safe if it truly was Faith and they were going to have a fight. The weird thing she picked up on through, was that the woman was knocking. By this time she would have busted through the door.

Opening the door, prepared for a fight, she was shocked to see a confused Faith on the other side. "I must have the wrong room, this dorm 214?" the brunette asked being completely sincere about her question, it just about floored Buffy.

"Who are you?" Buffy asked wondering if this woman just shared a scary resemblance to the dark chosen one.

"Name's Faith," Faith was finding this all to be very odd behavior, but she'd been locked in a hospital for crazy people so what did she know. Looking at the blonde woman though, she got a sense of familiarity she couldn't place, and that six sense feeling was going off like fireworks on the Fourth of July. "Do I know you?"

Buffy was at a loss for words. This was the Faith they knew, but she didn't seem to remember them. "Uh, I'm Buffy" Every alarm in her was going off to call Giles ASAP. She looked back at Willow who was just as confused.

The name lit up in Faith's mind, but she didn't know why. Maybe a pet dog or cat named Buffy? She pushed the thought aside not wanting to associate her possible new roommate with a pet. "This is dorm 214 right?" She asked again hoping she had the right number. Buffy nodded moving to one side allowing Faith access. Once Faith was inside, she closed the door and looked to Willow. There was no way they were going to make it to class today. "Nice room,"

"Thanks," Buffy was so on edge not sure if this amnesia thing was an act or not. She was prepared for Faith to snap and go back to her old self at any moment. "This is Willow, she helped with the décor" Faith nodded in Willow's direction as she placed her bag down, taking a seat on the closest bed.

Faith looked from Buffy to Willow and then at Buffy again. "Did I interrupt something, cause I can come back in a hour or so,"

Willow answered first walking cautiously around the room, grabbing her belongings. "N..no, uh, I've got to go meet G..Giles anyway, so..." She looked at Buffy silently asking if she would be okay with the other Slayer if she went to go inform Giles of her return. Buffy gave her a slight nod, moving to the side so Willow could exit, keeping herself in between her friend and "enemy". "Nice meeting you, Faith,"

"You too, Red," Faith gave a slight wave as Willow left. "Did I do something?" She asked once Buffy had shut the door. Faith was not getting a very warm and friendly welcome from these people. Maybe she was better off at the hospital.

Buffy really didn't know what to say. To her, this was the Faith that tried to kill all them, that hurt Xander, went after Angel, that betrayed them all, she even used the same lingo, yet it wasn't the same woman. All the anger and hurt she could always see in Faith's eyes wasn't there. "No, you...just reminded us of someone," It was the truth in a way, considering the person sitting in front of Buffy wasn't the same her. Faith nodded not saying much to the blonde counter part. "So, where you from?" Buffy asked trying to be less awkward while also trying to find out what Faith knew about herself.

Faith thought about that. Sally said she could be anyone she wanted in college, but would that help her remember who she was in the long run? There was something about Buffy that made her not want to lie to her. Besides, if she was gonna live with the woman she might as well be honest will her. "I actually don't know," She admitted. Buffy sat on her own bed, sitting cross-legged, facing Faith with a confused look upon her face. "I woke up in the hospital a while back with amnesia. I only know my name, cause the old Mayor of Sunnydale admitted me before he died, I guess he was my guardian or something,"

"And you don't know anything else about yourself?" She asked, remembering Faith in the hospital that day. It was the first time they had shared a slayer dream and when Buffy had awoken Faith was left in a coma. After the fight with the Mayor, Buffy had gone back to see if Faith was still there and okay, but she was gone. The nurses said someone had moved her somewhere else due to Richard Wilkins last request.

"Nope," Faith stated very matter of fact like. "but, I did get this lovely parting gift." She lifted up her shirt revealing her partially healed wound. "Doc says I must of gotten into a pretty bad fight,"

Looking at the wound, Buffy remembered the night they'd fought. She remembered how determined each of them seemed to be, but then when they were standing on the edge it was as if Faith just gave up. Buffy had run the memory over and over in her head and it didn't make any sense to her. They would have been evenly matched, causing them both to go over the ledge and die, but Faith had sacrificed herself. Did that mean there was still good in her? Like she was seeing right now. "Does it hurt still?" Buffy asked having guilt hit her hard.

Shaking her head, she ran her fingers over the wound. "Nah, I just wish I knew what happened," Faith let the shirt fall to cover the wound again as she looked up at Buffy. "So what's your story? You always live in Sunnydale?"

Willow hurried down the hall to find the closest telephone to call Giles. The sooner she got in contact with him, the sooner they found out if they were living in bizarro world or a crazy nightmare. Once at the phone, she dialed his number and waited for him to answer. "Hello, Giles here" He said in his normal British accent.

"Giles! It's Willow. We have an emergency!" She half yelled before realizing there were other students around. "A Slayer emergency,"

"What happened? Is everyone alright?"

"Depends on your definition of all right," Willow looked around cautiously like Faith could hear her and was going to come around the corner any second to put another knife to her throat. "Faith is here, in Buffy's dorm room." She could have sworn she could hear Giles dropping his tea cup in the background.

"Is Buffy okay? Is Faith subdued?" The concern in Giles' voice was nice to hear. Willow actually smiled.

Switching the phone receiver to the other ear, she answered, "Buffy's fine. For now. Faith doesn't seem to remember what happened. She seems to have complete amnesia about her life, I'm not even sure she remembers Boston,"

"I'll be there as soon as I can," She could hear Giles on the other end grabbing things. "Call Xander and I'll meet you three in the cafeteria at the school in about a hour,"

"Gotcha,"

"Oh and Willow"

"Yeah,"

"Be careful," Willow thought that was a bit of an understatement. "We don't know if this is an act or not and she's still a Slayer even if she doesn't remember,"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: More information about Sally next chapter and Faith starts to remember some things :) <strong>


	4. Nightmares Awaken

Faith's Old Apartment

Standing in Faith's old apartment, Sally smiled at the destruction that had been done. "You were right, the other one sure did a number on her"

"That's not to say my Faith didn't put up a fight,"

"I wasn't saying she didn't, Mr. Wilkins, I was just making an observation," She turned around to see the old mayor in his regularly wore suit. "You'll be pleased to know, Faith is at college and I did as you asked, setting her up in the blonde's room,"

Wilkins looked around at the apartment as Sally smiled at the him in appreciation. "Good. That will help things along. Do you still have the items I asked you to hold on too?"

"Yes sir," Sally went over to a box she had brought with her. In the box there was a lot of miscellaneous items, mostly belonging to Faith or about her. There was a diary that the girl had started back in Boston, a raggedy old stuffed animal puppy, a few CDs from Freak Wharf, a band she liked growing up, a few folders containing her criminal and medical history, along with a few letters. The nurse picked up the letters shuffling through them. A couple seemed to be addressed to her father that had never been sent that seemed to be written before her teens, but there was one letter that Sally seemed to be most interested in that had a single name written on it in black ink. "I acquired this from the vampire like you requested before the Accession, but I haven't read it yet," She held the letter up allowing him to see.

"Don't open it," His demeanor changed instantly becoming darker at seeing the letter. "I want you to hold on to it till I tell you otherwise," Wilkins wanted the other Slayer dead by Faith's hands and that letter wouldn't accomplish anything. Not yet at least. For his plan to be fully realized he was going to have to get them to kill each other. Sally had done well so far, but there was still much to do. First, Faith needed to remember who she was which would start tonight.

* * *

><p>"She doesn't remember anything Giles," Having just sat in a room for an hour with the dark haired woman Buffy could honestly say that. "It's like she's a completely different person," She looked at everyone at the table, watching their expressions till Giles took off his glasses to clean them. A nervous habit, she had realized over the few years they knew each other, but it also meant he was about to hopefully shed some light on their situation. "She actually cares and stuff,"<p>

"That doesn't change who she is, Buffy," He placed his glasses back onto his face. "What do you think she will do when she remembers?"

_Try to kill me again. _"I don't know, but maybe if she's different now, she'll still be different when she remembers,"

"She tried to kill all of us at least once!" Xander piped in rising his voice. "I say we hand her over to the council now, before she tries again,"

"I second that," Buffy looked at Willow as she raised her hand agreeing with Xander.

"She doesn't even remember she's a Slayer, we can't just hand her over to the council," She couldn't believe she was being Faith's advocate out of everyone in the room. "Besides, I don't work for them anymore,"

"Buffy-" Giles started before Buffy cut him off.

"No Giles. I'm not handing her over to them." Buffy sighed. "At least not till we know more,"

* * *

><p>Faith stood in the dorm room looking at Buffy's things on her side. Mostly the pictures. She seemed to have such a good life,iIt made Faith wonder what her own life had been. Looking down at her arms, she noticed the small scars located on her forearm. Touching them, she got an image of an older woman resembling her smoking. The woman took the cigarette from her mouth, blowing the smoke what Faith presumed to be her own face, before the woman took ahold of her arm and burned it into her flesh. A young girl's scream could be heard and Faith could feel the pain from the action as if it was happening to her now. Removing her hand, she pulled out of the memory. <em>Was that her mother?<em> A knock was heard before it opened sightly and a male voice that Faith oddly recognized spoke.

"Buffy," Faith turned to see the guy she bumped into earlier.

"B's not here right now," Faith stated placing her fingers in her pockets as she walked toward him. "Parker right?"

Parker was surprised to see the new girl in Buffy's dorm, but saw opportunity in this. "Yeah, Faith was it?"

"Yeah," This guy was cute. Was he Buffy's boyfriend?

Flashing his famous smile, Parker turned on the charm he used so often. "I was stopping by to see if Buffy wanted to go to a party with me, but would you like to go instead?"

This guy was giving off a vibe that was some how familiar to Faith, not in a good way though. "You sure you don't want to ask Buffy? I'm sure she'll be back soon, besides I don't really know that many people around here,"

"Why don't the both of you come," That would insure he at least got one of them tonight, if not both if he timed it right. "A party is awesome for Freshmen that don't know many people and there will be drinks to make things easier,"

A party did sound like fun, but she wasn't sure. Last time she was around a lot of people she ended up beating on someone and ending up in straight jacket. "I'll ask Buffy about it,"

"Alright," Parker smiled again. "I'll stop by around seven thirty tonight to get your answer," With that, he left and Faith suddenly felt a sting of anxiousness at having plans tonight with a guy. Faith was pretty sure she had dates before, definitely had sex before, just from the way she knew current things. Yet, here it was, she felt anxiety over a guy. There was something about him though that sent up warning signs. She wish she knew why.

Gathering her thoughts after the encounter she headed over to her side of the room to take it all in. She was in college out of that hospital. Free. Faith sighed as she laid on the bed and stared up at the celling closing her eyes. It was peaceful here, less screaming and craziness going around. She felt normal here, human. _

"After everything, Buffy, you can't blame us for being skeptical," Giles said as they kept discussing the subject of Faith.

"I know, but I honestly don't think she's going to hurt any of us," Buffy sighed. She had been over this with them for the last half hour to a hour.

"Your the slayer, Buff, but I'm staying away from the beautiful psycho who almost chocked me to death," He stood up from the table. "Now if you'd excuse me, I have a bartending gig I've got to apply for,"

"Xan- wait, bartending gig?" Buffy started, but quickly changed topics when her and Willow both realized what he had said, and looked at him sideways in confusion. "You're not old enough,"

Xander smiled at his friends happy to change the subject from Faith. He pulled out his fake I.D. from his pocket showing it to the others. Giles rolled his eyes. "I'm not hearing this right now," He proceeded to put his attention elsewhere as not to listen.

"No one is going to believe this," Willow told him, once looking at his I.D. Xander pulled the piece of plastic away from Buffy and Willow to look at it himself.

"Why? What gives it away?"

"Looking at it,"

He put it into his pocket. "Well, nobody's going to see it." The girls rolled their eyes. "Besides, a job will give me something to do while you guys do the whole college thing," The girls watched as he walked away. "I'll catch you guys later, keep me updated on the whole Faith situation,"

With Xander's absence, Buffy let out a sigh as she stood. "Speaking of, I better get back to the dorm. I'm suppose to show Faith around campus,"

"Buffy, do be careful," Giles piped in. "I know you want to help her, but she's still a danger, remember that,"

Buffy nodded. "I know," She left Willow and Giles at the table to go to meet up with Faith.

"Is she gonna be okay Giles? It's not like Buffy to defend Faith,," Willow asked, worried for her friend. The Buffy she knew was cautious around Faith, with her walls always up. Not the Buffy that was pleading the woman's case.

"From what I know about Buffy, I believe she's probably feeling guilty for what happened that night,"

"But if she didn't stab Faith, Faith would have killed her," Willow argued.

"Yes, but Buffy went there believing she was going to kill Faith, actually believed she did when she fell off the building," Giles explained. "It wasn't till after she gave herself to Angel, that she found out Faith had survived and even then, she was in a coma she wasn't suppose to wake from. To see Faith up and walking around, not remembering what happened, must be eating Buffy up from the inside," Willow could understand that. She probably would be feeling the same thing, it had been her. "Buffy sees this as a chance to make things right, for both of them. My only concern is what will happen if Buffy doesn't tell her the truth and she finds out herself,"

* * *

><p>Opening the door to the dorm, Buffy found Faith asleep on the spare bed. It was weird to see her lying there peacefully when the last time she'd seen her like that, she had bruises and cuts on her face. Her shirt rode up just a little to allow Buffy to see part of the wound on the younger girl's abdomen that resided there. <em>You should tell her the truth.<em> She couldn't though. How would she explain everything, especially considering she wasn't up front about it in the first place. Telling Faith everything would just make her go back to the old Faith and the old rivalry they had. Buffy didn't want that, she wanted the friendship they had, before Allan Finch died. Leaving Faith to sleep, Buffy headed over to her desk to attempt to get some of her homework done.

Monsters and demons filled Faith's dreams turning them to nightmares. She didn't know how she had ended up in the graveyard but she was terrified of something chasing her. She kept glancing behind her until suddenly she was instantly stopped by a cloven hoof around her throat. Hands going straight to the force stopping her from breathing, Faith looked up into the face of what held her still. A deformed human with sharp teeth and a scar going down his face, he was one of the scarriest things Faith had ever seen. "Remember me, Slayer" He growled at her. "Remember what you did to me,"

A name Faith was sure she never heard before popped into her head. "Kakistos?" She breathed out between gasps for air. He dropped her and Faith rubbed her throat crawling back away from him before running in the opposite direction. She stumbled though hitting the grass hard almost hitting a grave stone. Looking beside her to see what she tripped over she was met with a shocked face of a skinny business suit wearing man with a trickle of blood running out of his mouth as he tried to speak. He sat in front of a grave that read Allan Finch- Murdered. "Did that thing do this to you?" Faith whispered going to put pressure on a wound she could see bleeding through his shirt, but as she went to place her hands over the wound a wooden stake was in in his heart and she was holding it there. "I-I didn't know," Panic entered her as she looked at the dying man. A hand grabed her shoulder turning her around, facing her with Buffy.

"Faith! Wake up!"

Faith woke startled, seeing Buffy sitting on the bed beside her looking at her with concern. "Are you alright? You were starting to thrash around" Buffy asked looking at a shaking Faith that was dripping with sweat from fear.

Trying to compose her thoughts, she focused on Buffy, finally realizing where she was. "Y-yeah. Just," She took a breath before releasing it. "a nightmare," Faith pushed her hair back running her fingers through her hair, still having flashes from the dream enter her head. "Uh, mind if I take a shower?"

Concern still on her face, Buffy stood up allowing Faith room to get up. "No, go for it," She watched as Faith rose from the bed and headed to the bathroom. Worried didn't even cover what Buffy was feeling toward the younger Slayer. Buffy hadn't caught much in Faith's mumbling while she slept, but she caught enough to know she was dreaming about the past. Whether Faith knew that or not was a mystery.


End file.
